May 10, 2011
Trent J. Perrotto
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-0321
trent.j.perrotto@nasa.gov
Beth Hagenauer
Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif.
(661) 276-7960
beth.hagenauer-1@nasa.gov RELEASE: 11-14
NASA SELECTS CLASSROOM TEACHERS FOR SOFIA SCIENCE FLIGHTS
NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy 747SP with the
doors covering the aircraft's German-built infrared astronomy
telescope fully open. (NASA / Carla Thomas) PALMDALE, Calif. -- NASA
has selected six teachers to work with scientists aboard the
Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, during
research flights in May and June. This is the first team of educators
selected to participate in SOFIA's Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors
program.
SOFIA is a highly modified Boeing 747SP aircraft fitted with a
100-inch (2.5 meter) diameter telescope. It analyzes infrared light
to study the formation of stars and planets; chemistry of
interstellar gases; composition of comets, asteroids and planets; and
supermassive black holes at the center of galaxies. Infrared
observations are optimal for studying low-temperature objects in
space such as the raw materials for star and planet formation and for
seeing through interstellar dust clouds that block light at visible
wavelengths.
"Enabling educators to join SOFIA's scientific research and take that
experience back to their schools and communities is a unique
opportunity for NASA to enhance science and math education across the
country," said John Gagosian, SOFIA program executive at NASA
Headquarters in Washington. "More than 70 teachers flew on NASA's
previous flying observatory, the Kuiper Airborne Observatory, from
1991 through 1995, and that program had long-lasting, positive
effects on both the teachers and their students."
The six teachers selected for the SOFIA program submitted applications
that included plans for taking their training and flight experience
back to their classrooms.
The teachers selected are:
-- Marita Beard, Branham High School, San Jose, Calif.
-- Mary Blessing, Herndon High School, Herndon, Va.
-- Cris DeWolf, Chippewa Hills High School, Remus, Mich
-- Kathleen Joanne Fredette, Desert Willow Intermediate School,
Palmdale, Calif.
-- Theresa Paulsen, Mellen School District, Mellen, Wis.
-- Margaret Piper, Lincoln Way High School, Frankfort, Ill.
"We know teachers who participate in science research programs return
inspired, and their students' engagement with technical subjects are
measurably increased for many years afterward," said Dana Backman,
manager of SOFIA's education and outreach programs. "Airborne
Astronomy Ambassadors is an outstanding opportunity for NASA to reach
out to both new and veteran teachers of science, technology,
engineering and math to bring the excitement of real science research
into the classroom and the community at large."
NASA's international partners in developing and operating SOFIA, the
German Aerospace Center DLR and the German SOFIA Institute DSI, will
fly educators as well. The DLR and DSI plan to announce their first
two ambassadors later this month.
SOFIA is a joint program between NASA and DLR in Bonn, Germany. The
SOFIA program is managed at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center,
Edwards, Calif. The aircraft is based at the Dryden Aircraft
Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif. NASA's Ames Research Center
in Moffett Field, Calif., manages the SOFIA science and mission
operations in cooperation with the Universities Space Research
Association in Columbia, Md., and DSI in Stuttgart, Germany.
NASA will host an online video chat about SOFIA with Project Scientist
Pamela Marcum for approximately one hour at 10 a.m. PDT / 1 p.m. EDT
on Thursday, May 12. Participants will join a conversation about
SOFIA’s first science flights, targets of opportunity, and plans for
future flights. Based at Ames Research Center, Marcum is an expert on
galaxy evolution and worked on the first extensive ultraviolet
imaging of nearby galaxies. For more information on the chat and to
participate, visit:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasa-arc
For more information about SOFIA, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/sofia
For information about SOFIA's science mission, visit:
http://www.sofia.usra.edu
http://www.dlr.de/en/sofia
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